<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Bad Guys And Bondage by FleetSparrow</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27774004">Bad Guys And Bondage</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/FleetSparrow/pseuds/FleetSparrow'>FleetSparrow</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Grayson (Comics)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Bondage, Character Death, Dick Grayson Has A Danger Kink, Happy Ending, M/M, They get better, Under-negotiated Kink</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 23:42:20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>10,070</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27774004</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/FleetSparrow/pseuds/FleetSparrow</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Five Times Dick Got Tied Up For Tiger To Rescue And The One Time Tiger Was.</p>
<p>With bonus vignettes!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Dick Grayson/Tiger</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>45</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Heart Attack Exchange 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. First Time</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/snowshus/gifts">snowshus</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>It's a long one, but I hope you enjoy it.  There was no real reason for me to break it up in this many chapters, except that I like balance and bad jokes.  But I swear there's no crack here; this is 100% sincere love.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The first time it happens, Dick’s sure it’s Tiger’s fault.</p>
<p>He’s currently tied up in a priest hole, a gag over his mouth, not that he’d be calling for help right now anyway.  The room outside him is full of spies, most of them his captors.  They’ve been discussing what to do with him for the past forty-five minutes and, frankly, Dick’s getting bored.  He hasn’t been threatened with death in almost half an hour.  They haven’t tied him to a rocket, or a giant saw, or put him in the center of any elaborate death traps.</p>
<p>In all honesty, this is the worst kidnapping he’s ever been part of.</p>
<p>About twenty-two minutes ago, Dick heard Tiger enter.  Now, Dick has worked with pretty much every household-name-worthy superhero and knows the fighting styles of most of the rest.  Batman comes in either in stealth, picking off goons one by one, or he breaks in with a bang, overwhelming them with surprise.  Superman floats in, letting bad guys waste their weapons on him before calmly tying them up with something metal.  Wonder Woman comes in fighting and doesn’t stop until they’re down.  But Tiger?</p>
<p>Dick’s still not sure about Tiger’s methods.  Tiger’s a lot like Batman, a bruiser and a brawler, built for fighting, for taking out the competition by physical superiority.  But he didn’t come in swinging this time.  Sometimes he goes the stealth route, taking out the most dangerous villains in the room before jumping into the fray.  He didn’t do that, either.</p>
<p>From what Dick can tell from the muffled voices through the wall, Tiger’s just talking.  Not negotiating Dick’s release.  Not threatening violence or, hell, even mild harassment.  He’s…</p>
<p>Chatting.</p>
<p>Well, as much as Tiger “chats” with anyone.  He’s a lot like Bruce in that way, the strong, silent type, with an emphasis on “silent”.</p>
<p>If their positions were reversed, Dick wouldn’t be out there having a grand ol’ time with Tiger’s captors.  He’d be there to kick ass and take names, and be all out of contact space.</p>
<p>That’s a good one.  He’ll have to remember that one.</p>
<p>The point Dick is trying to make, though, is that <em>he</em> would never leave his partner bound and gagged for an hour just for information or whatever Tiger is doing out there.</p>
<p>Dick groans and thunks his head back against the wall.</p>
<p>It’s just like working with Batman again, except for the villains.  Spies aren’t nearly as colorful and fun as they make out in the movies, especially compared to Gotham villains.  Really, when he’s been gassed, and mind controlled, and gassed, and tied to fireworks, and gassed, and nearly eaten by giant plants -- and, oh, did he mention gassed? -- as many times as he has just from being Robin, anything that doesn’t involve some immediate level of danger doesn’t do it for him.</p>
<p>Oh no.  What if this whole “constantly being tied up” thing is becoming a fetish for him?</p>
<p>No.  Dick doesn’t have to worry about that.  It’s not like he’s always being tied up in suggestive poses, or trapped by villains who swear vengeance against him and him alone like some sort of twisted Valentine’s Day promise, or….</p>
<p>Dick thunks his head on the wall again.</p>
<p>Dammit, Tiger, just get <em>in</em> here before his thoughts get all weird again.</p>
<p>Finally, when Dick’s thoughts die down just enough for him to hear the outside world again, he realizes the room has gone quiet.</p>
<p>Too quiet.</p>
<p>The door to the priest hole opens, light flooding into the pitch dark room.  Dick blinks, trying to get his vision to make out the shadow that stands in the doorway.</p>
<p>“You’re still here,” Tiger says.</p>
<p>Dick glares at him until Tiger comes over and pulls the gag down.</p>
<p>“Where did you think I was?” Dick asks.</p>
<p>“I’ve been waiting for you to get out yourself,” Tiger says.  “You could have saved us a lot of time and trouble.”</p>
<p>“Well, excuse me for being the damsel in distress,” Dick says.</p>
<p>Tiger kneels down to untie Dick’s legs from the chair, then looks up at him.</p>
<p>“What were you doing in here all alone?”</p>
<p>“Oh, you know.  Contemplating life,” Dick says.  “Here, hold this.”  He hands Tiger the rope while he stretches.</p>
<p>Tiger stands and walks out, pausing as he reaches the door.  He looks down at the rope in his hand, then back at Dick.</p>
<p>“How long have you been loose?”</p>
<p>Dick shrugs.  “Long enough.  I didn’t want to break up your little tête-à-tête.”</p>
<p>Tiger drops the rope and shakes his head.  “It’s getting closer, Dick Grayson.  One day.”</p>
<p>Dick beams.  “Day ain’t over yet.”</p>
<p>Tiger walks out, leaving Dick to follow him.  He’ll appreciate Dick’s style of humor one of these days.</p>
<p>Or he won’t, and they’ll have that battle to the death Tiger keeps promising -- no, threatening, <em>not</em> promising, bad Dick! -- him with.  Dick’s not too worried, though.</p>
<p>Hope springs eternal, even in the spy world.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Second Time</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next time Dick finds himself tied up, it’s actually Tiger’s fault.</p><p>Tiger sent Dick down for reconnaissance on the next spies on their list and, while their Hypnos didn’t fool Dick for a second, they had managed to get the jump on him, leading Dick to where he is now:</p><p>Tied up to the cowcatcher of a train.</p><p>This wouldn’t be a big problem if the train wasn’t going to start moving in about seven minutes and twenty-six seconds.</p><p>Twenty-five.</p><p>Twenty-four.</p><p>…Oh, boy.</p><p>As far as he knows, Tiger is up there on top of the train fighting them.  Or maybe he’s down in one of the compartments, making his way up to the engine to keep it from starting.  Or maybe he’s not around at all.</p><p>Hard to tell with him.</p><p>He hasn’t let Dick down yet, but then again, Dick has knocked him out a non-zero amount of times, so, you know, first time for everything.</p><p>Dick’s pretty sure that friendly death threat was meant as a personal threat, in that Tiger was going to personally kill him, not just let Dick die by someone else, but one never knows.  </p><p>It’s been a full minute and there’s no sound of fighting, nothing except the normal sounds of freight being loaded.  That could be blocking out any fighting noises, but Dick doesn’t think so.  In fact, he’s pretty sure he’s on his own.</p><p>If the force of the train’s movement through space doesn’t kill him, running into the dunes of snow that have piled up in in along the way probably will.  Not to mention he’s being bent backwards around the cowcatcher.  Maybe it’d be better if he couldn't see what was coming.  It’d be like a surprise!  Except less fun and more deadly.</p><p>It still isn't Gotham levels of deadly, but at least it’s a new experience.  He’ll have so much fun telling the family, if he gets out of this alive.  If anyone is still speaking to each other, that is.</p><p>Five minutes left.  The train whistle nearly deafens him when it goes off above him.  He would have an easier time undoing his ropes if he wasn't spread sideways across this thing.  No style, these spies.  No class.  The proper way to kill someone via cowcatcher is to tie them right side up, spread-eagled, one limb to each corner.</p><p>Amateurs.</p><p>Four and a half minutes.</p><p>Time to make peace with…whoever.</p><p>He forgives Bruce for forgetting the family, but not for not having safeguards against it.  He’s done this before, and yet they still weren’t able to snap him out this time.</p><p>He forgives Jason, for his whole, “Tying up Batman and Robin while in their underpants” thing.</p><p>He forgives Tim for, y’know, stuff; he can't think of anything specific at the moment, but he’s sure there’s something.</p><p>Four minutes.</p><p>Damian?  Poor kid.  To come back to from the dead to have your own dad forget you?  That’s rough, buddy.  He forgives Damian for sacrificing himself.</p><p>Alfred?  Dick frowns.  He won’t lie, he’s a little mad with Alfred.  It’ll pass, if he lives that long, but keeping Bruce in this amnesiac state while the family is falling apart doesn’t seem right to Dick.  Then again, with how many times Alfred has watched Bruce nearly die, he’s probably just comforted his boy’s alive and relatively happy for once.  Yeah, Dick forgives him, too.</p><p>Three and a half minutes.  The train is starting to heat up.  It felt nice at first, like a spa, but now it’s getting hot.  Maybe the heat will kill him first.</p><p>Nah, that’s a actually worse than the snow. </p><p>But now.  Now he comes to the big one.  To forgive himself.</p><p>He could be flippant, forgive himself for this situation, but mostly, he’s angry.</p><p>Angry because he’s letting his family down; because his partner is probably not even aware of where he is right now, and that’s bad for him to not have let Tiger track him, and that feels like his fault; because he’s going to die and that’s definitely his fault for wasting all this time when he could have been escaping.  He’s getting too used to having a partner again, expecting them to come to his rescue at the last second.</p><p>Two and a half minutes now.</p><p>Dick struggles half-heartedly at his bonds, but they hold just as tight as they had when he’d first woken up here.  Damn.  His comm is off, so he can't even say goodbye to anyone.  And he’s got a ridiculous song stuck in his head.  Wow, what a way to go, huh?</p><p>One minute left.</p><p>The train is getting hotter.  He’s starting to sweat.  He’s certainly not going to make a pretty corpse, that’s for sure.  Which is a shame, really.  He didn't expect to go pleasantly -- he didn't think about it much, as a rule -- but this was definitely low on his list of “ways I’m pretty sure I’m going to die”.  </p><p>He’s even got a good quip lined up right now, and no one’s around to hear it.  Maybe he’ll make it anyway.</p><p>“What a crazy reason to kill someone,” he says, to the engine  “Quite the loco motive.”</p><p>“One day, Dick Grayson,” Tiger says from just above him.</p><p>Dick looks up and grins.  “See?  I knew you’d come in time!”</p><p>“One day.”</p><p>“Is that day today?” Dick asks as Tiger cuts the ropes holding him, pulling him to safety.  “Because I think that pun was good enough to be my death quip.”</p><p>“No.”</p><p>“No it wasn't good enough, or no, you’re not going to kill me today?”</p><p>“Both,” Tiger says, working his way down the train as it begins to move.</p><p>Dick shakes his head.  “Everyone’s a critic.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Third Time</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Heck yeah.  Dick’s always wanted to be the figurehead of a ship!</p>
<p>OK, so he’s always imagined himself a little less, um, totally nude, and usually <em>not</em> headed for rocks on a deserted boat running on autopilot, but then again, his figurehead dreams weren't honestly meant to be too realistic.</p>
<p>This is the third time he’s been tied up to something in about two and a half weeks, which means he’s running on Gotham odds with no Gotham imagination.  A solid C for effort; not bad, but could be better.</p>
<p>He would have been out of this one in seconds if not for the aforementioned nudity.  What the hell was wrong with these spies?  Checking out his ass, stripping him, trying to seduce him….</p>
<p>Dick admits, though, he feels less violated and more cold.  The sea air is not pleasant on sensitive skin -- a reason why you’re not really supposed to skinny dip in salt water -- and the wind chill factor!  Hoo boy!</p>
<p>This time, he can hear Tiger on board, he’s just not sure it’s going to do either of them any good.  Tiger got locked in the freezer -- clothes <em>on</em>, lucky for him -- while Dick’s…well, out here.</p>
<p>This time, it was both of their faults.</p>
<p>The fight had been good.  They’d spent most of it winning.  Asses were getting kicked.  Names were being taken.  Spies were going down.</p>
<p>Then the ship’s computer blew.</p>
<p>It had scrambled their Hypnos just long enough to distract them, and that’s when Tiger had been shoved into the freezer and Dick had been, uh…ambushed.  There was a reason he’d been stripped naked, and he’d be the first to admit that it was a pretty good one.  He always keeps a stockpile of weapons on him that he can whip out like magicians’s handkerchiefs.  All they had to do was to turn him over and shake him down like a cartoon thief and most of his weapons would’ve come out, but, whatever.  </p>
<p>To each spy their own method.</p>
<p>The ship is getting closer to the rocks, the waves crashing upon them as though Neptune is trying to break them in half.  Hmm.  About Neptune.  He should ask Garth if Neptune was real, if he’s some sort of, like, Atlantean elder statesman or something.  Maybe he was an Atlantean philosopher, like Plato, but less douchey.</p>
<p>Then again, if any of the myths are true, maybe he should be asking Diana.</p>
<p>Waves splash up and nearly drown him.  He shivers.</p>
<p>Right, Dick.  Focus.</p>
<p>There’s a rhythmic thumping coming from the freezer area, and Dick really hopes it’s Tiger trying to break open the door from the inside, and not his frozen body sliding back and forth into the walls.</p>
<p>Wow, that image got grim in a hurry.</p>
<p><em>Focus</em>, Dick!</p>
<p>He needs to move.  Being tied down is not helping him keep track of his thoughts, and things are starting to feel weird.  His fingers are going numb and it’s not just from the cold.  Maybe if he can just wiggle one wrist and twist and…</p>
<p>Something pops.  </p>
<p>OK, maybe that wasn’t the best move, but at least he manages to get a hand free.  He can pop his thumb back into position later.</p>
<p>Or, now.</p>
<p>Once he gets his other hand free, he realizes, he’ll be doing a faceplant onto the front of the ship.  So, he pops it back into place.</p>
<p>OK, thumb is movable and in surprisingly little pain.  That’s probably from the cold, but he can work with this.</p>
<p>One lassoed prow later, Dick is back up on the deck.  First things first:  Turn the ship.</p>
<p>With practiced sailing skills -- and one smash of the autopilot button -- he manages to regain control of the ship.  The rocks tear at the fiberglass hull, ripping the boat apart on one side, but thankfully not deep enough to make them sink immediately.  </p>
<p>OK, now he’s really got to rescue Tiger.</p>
<p>He runs to the freezer to find the door open and a very tired and cold Tiger glaring at him.</p>
<p>“At least we won’t sink,” Dick says, offering a weak smile.</p>
<p>Tiger shakes his head.  “Get dressed.”  He walks past Dick to man the helm.  He’s trying not to limp from the cold, but Dick can tell it must hurt.</p>
<p>Dick better get going now or he’ll be freezing, too.</p>
<p>When he finally returns, dressed, Tiger has beached the boat and is thawing out.</p>
<p>It only takes them until that afternoon to find the spies they were after and take them down, this time on dry land.</p>
<p>“Looks like revenge really is best served cold,” Dicks says.</p>
<p>“Someday is coming sooner, Dick Grayson,” Tiger says.</p>
<p>Eh, bring it on, Tiger; he’ll manage.</p>
<p>Dick’s just not really sure he wants to interrogate why that threat always makes his stomach feel funny.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Fourth Time</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>This time, Dick’s pretty sure it’s his own fault.  </p><p>He’s inside a car crusher -- he knows that much -- but his head’s a little foggy as to how he got there.  </p><p>Someone had used their Hypnos against them -- really, these things are more hassle than they’re worth -- which, instead of making Dick cold-cock Tiger again, made Tiger knock him out for once.</p><p>Or maybe Tiger did it on purpose as revenge.  Again, it’s hard to say with him.</p><p>In either case, Tiger is probably being interrogated while Dick is slowly going to his horrible death.  Which is just plain rude.</p><p>He’s duct taped to the seat, strapped in, his hands at his side.  It's a very uncomfortable position to be in when one’s about to be crushed.  He can’t even put the seat back.  </p><p>In these potentially final moments, Dick would just like to thank the Gotham rogues for always being there to support him, tying him to rockets and comically large saws, for making sure all death traps had built in escapes for fair play, and generally being good sports about all the times he’s captured and returned them to Arkham.</p><p>Dick’s in the top car, which is good, because  at least it’ll be a quicker death than being the bottom car.  Only the crusher will hit him -- well, that and the roof of the car -- instead of however many tons of steel coming down on top of him.  He won’t have to sit there and hear all the groaning and snapping of metal, counting down the seconds until….</p><p>He’s just gonna let that thought go.  It’s getting too dark, even for someone raised by Batman.</p><p>Dick relaxes his muscles, and gets some slack in the tape.  Not much, not quite enough to use to his advantage, but it’s better than nothing.  At least they didn’t tape his mouth shut or tape his head to the headrest or anything.  That would hurt like hell to remove.</p><p>He really needs to talk to Mister Miracle, maybe study with him a while.  Some more impossible escape techniques won’t hurt, even if he can get out of most things by himself.  Well, if he lives through this, he will.  Six months of escape study with Miracle and hand-to-hand training with Big Barda.  Yeah, that’ll be great!</p><p>The crusher begins to dent the roof and Dick sighs.  Well, he had a good run.</p><p>He wriggles in his bonds, until he manages to get a little more free.  Damn.  Too little, too late.</p><p>Then the car crusher grinds to a halt.</p><p>Dick strains to see out the side window from his immobile vantage point.  All he sees is fabric, but that’s fine.  It means Tiger’s here.</p><p>“Damsel in distress?” Tiger asks, once Dick is free and out of the car.</p><p>“Just waiting for my dashing prince,” Dick says.  He bats his eyelashes at Tiger.  “Would my Prince Charming like a kiss?”</p><p>Tiger glares at him, then looks away.  It’s probably just exertion that gives his face its red tint.  At least, Dick’s pretty sure that’s what Tiger will say it is.</p><p>The good thing about this quest of theirs is that it’s bringing them closer together, and giving them a chance to work without sabotaging each other.  And Dick’s pretty sure he’s winning Tiger's respect, however begrudgingly.</p><p>What could possibly go wrong?</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Fifth Time</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Now <em>this</em> is what Dick’s talking about.</p>
<p>Pure.  Gotham.</p>
<p>He’s bound backwards to a giant rocket, ready for the blast off that’s currently in countdown.  The rocket is property of Lex Corp and has already been sabotaged to explode on blast off -- probably on Luthor’s own orders, not that that makes a lick of difference to Dick at this point.  He’s still going to blow up on launching.</p>
<p>This is the kind of bondage that excites him, makes him feel alive.</p>
<p>Hmm.  Maybe he should rephrase that.</p>
<p>It’s not really “bondage” per se.  It’s just being tied up makes him ho--</p>
<p>OK, it’s the threat of death that really does it for--</p>
<p>You know what?  He’s gonna quit while he’s ahead here.</p>
<p>He had come up here to disarm the rocket only to find that it wasn’t loaded anyway.  Once he’d made it up to the supposed warhead in the nose, he’d been clobbered with what felt like a tire iron.  Maybe it was one of the metal rungs from the ladders.  He doesn’t know.  All he knows is that his head hurts like the devil.</p>
<p>It’s actually a pretty impressive job they did here, tying him to this thing.  It’s not really a small rocket.  They put some good effort into this trap.  Either he and Tiger are getting sloppy, or the spies are getting smarter.  He’s going to hope it’s the latter.</p>
<p>There’s no way Tiger’s going to reach him in time this time.  He’s not being fatalistic, just real.  Tiger’s busy fighting his way to the control room; Dick can actually see him through the windows of the building, or, rather, his Hypnos can see him.</p>
<p>Dick looks down.  It’s a sheer drop if he wiggles out of this, the steel ropes the only things holding him upright.  He can’t cut them; they took his mini torch when they tied him up.  That would’ve been too handy, otherwise.  He could try and climb up out of them instead of wiggling down, but that would still put him too low to reach the door of the nose cone.</p>
<p>This is a quandary.  How to get out of this trap?  It’s not like Dick could count on spies playing fair; he’s found that out the hard way.  So, what’s his best move now?</p>
<p>Something bright glints in the sky.  He smiles.</p>
<p>“Hey, Hypnos?  Where’s my ride?”</p>
<p>“Your jet has been disabled by the Director.”</p>
<p>“Sure,” Dick says.  “But where’s my <em>ride</em>?”</p>
<p>“Incoming.”</p>
<p>“Thanks, Hypnos.”</p>
<p>The bright thing gets bigger, or, rather, closer.  Fire comes like lightning out of the sky, a star bolt blasting through his bonds.  Dick falls and the fire speeds up.  In a streak of flame, he’s caught and carried away.</p>
<p>“Kori!  It’s been a long time,” Dick says, kissing her cheek.</p>
<p>“Why do you look so different?” she asks, setting him down on top of the control building.</p>
<p>“New implants,” he says.  “Thanks for hearing the distress call.”</p>
<p>“Titans stick together.”</p>
<p>Dick smiles.  “I’d love to catch up, but I’m due to save my partner.”</p>
<p>Koriand’r touches his face gently.  “I’m glad you’re alive.”</p>
<p>“So am I, Kori.”</p>
<p>It’s hard, walking away from her again, but that’s how it goes in this business.  Win some, lose lots.</p>
<p>She’s already gone by the time he looks back, and the rocket’s beginning to fire up.  Dick’s barely inside the building when the rocket explodes, shattering windows and taking out the front façade.</p>
<p><em>Please let Tiger be OK</em>, Dick thinks as he runs down to the ruined parts of the building.  One whole corridor is gone and Dick winces.  That wasn’t supposed to happen.</p>
<p>He’s just trying to figure out how to get across when someone grabs him and pulls him into the air duct.</p>
<p>“Hey!  Good to see you,” Dick says, looking at Tiger from upside-down.</p>
<p>Tiger looks a little singed, a little angry, but still in one piece.</p>
<p>“The next time you try to kill me will be the last time,” Tiger says.</p>
<p>“Yeah, yeah.  I love you, too,” Dick says.  He rights himself and follows Tiger out of the ruined building.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. STOP!  Tiger Time</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>For once, Dick isn’t the one tied up.  The rope is on the other spy, as it were.</p><p>He and Tiger had a fight and so Tiger took off without him.  That was almost two hours ago.  When Dick finally went to find him, he’d cooled considerably.  Even if Dick hadn’t chilled, you don’t leave your partner hanging for too long, even if they are stubborn as hell.</p><p>And wrong.</p><p>The last forty-five minutes Dick has spent disarming multiple bombs around an old vacant property.  It’s due for demolition, but they were probably thinking more along the lines of a wrecking crew than various implosions.  Finally, the last one is finished and Dick heads down to the basement.  It’s the only place in the house he hasn’t been to yet.</p><p>Tiger is tied up in one corner, his boots gone, wrists and ankles tied together.  He’s not as flexible as Dick is, so the position is definitely an awkward one for him.</p><p>“Well, Frank, it’s funny to see you like this,” Dick says, going over to him.</p><p>Tiger glares at him, but there’s a hint of confusion in his eyes.</p><p>“You know, Frank and Joe Hardy?” Dick says, removing the gag.  “The Hardy Boys?  I’m Joe, because I’m the cute one.”</p><p>“That day is getting closer, Dick Grayson,” Tiger says.</p><p>Hmph.  Maybe he should’ve left the gag on.  Tiger <em>is</em> a lot easier to get along with when he’s not threatening him.</p><p>Then again, it took Damian a while to stop threatening him, too, so it’s all good.  Tiger will come around.</p><p>Eventually.</p><p>…Hopefully.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Bonus</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dick wakes up vaguely uncomfortable.  He feels trapped in the sheets, as though he’s tied up in them, different parts knotted around his limbs.</p><p>Speaking of limbs, he’s finding he can’t move his easily.  Well, that makes some sense.  After all, if he’s tangled in the sheets, he probably can’t move very well.</p><p>He pries his eyes open, fighting against sleep to keep them open.  This usually isn’t a problem.  Sure, he’s not running on a lot of sleep, but when he’s on a mission, he often goes without sleep for a much longer while.  Why, then, is he having so much trouble?</p><p>He tries to lick his lips and becomes aware of his tongue.  His whole mouth feels like cotton.</p><p>Ah, he’s been drugged.  That explains the sleepiness.</p><p>Who drugged him?  He’d been in the safe house with Tiger.  Could someone have found them there and captured them?  Or is it the most likely scenario:  Tiger drugged him.</p><p>A hand passes over his face, then slaps him.  That wakes him up.  If he can just focus, he’ll be OK.  He’s been drugged before.</p><p>“Your resistance is weak,” Tiger says.</p><p>Good, it’s just Tiger.  If push comes to shove, Dick can take him.</p><p>“What if I had been an enemy?” Tiger continues.  “You’d be dead, Dick Grayson.”</p><p>Dick focuses on him.  The angles of his face.  The set of his mouth.  His eyes.</p><p>Dick could fall into those eyes.</p><p>Oh, no.</p><p>Tiger probably sees that desire in Dick’s own eyes, because suddenly he’s leaving.  Whoops?</p><p>But no, Tiger returns with a chair and a strange smile on his face.  OK, that’s not so bad.  Weird, but not bad.</p><p>“You are enjoying this,” Tiger says, and for once, Dick’s pretty sure that’s not a criticism.</p><p>“I’d enjoy it more if I knew why you tied me up,” Dick says, his mouth still feeling not quite right.  “And drugged me.”</p><p>Tiger reaches past Dick’s vision and brings back a glass of water.</p><p>“Drink.”</p><p>Dick obeys, trying very hard to ignore the little thrill he gets when Tiger orders him around.  He’s not Robin anymore.  He’s a team leader himself.  He’s used to giving orders, not taking them.</p><p>But old kinks die hard, apparently.</p><p>Dick’s mouth and throat sufficiently wet again, Tiger pulls away the glass.</p><p>“You haven’t struggled once,” he says, and this time his voice is hard again.  “You can’t possibly trust me that much.”</p><p>“Would you believe, yes?” Dick asks.  “I’ve taken bigger guys than you, anyway.”</p><p>Tiger arches an eyebrow and Dick blushes.  Oh god, why did that come out like that?</p><p>Tiger leans down and whispers at Dick’s ear, his lips gently brushing his skin.</p><p>“Are you so easy to bed, Dick Grayson?”</p><p>Dick can’t help closing his eyes at their proximity.  It’s heady.</p><p>“Usually you gotta buy me dinner first,” he says.  “But going AWOL with me is a pretty sure bet, too.”</p><p>Tiger runs a hand over Dick’s abdomen and Dick sucks in a breath.  He’s now highly aware that the only things currently keeping him from Tiger are the sheets he’s tied up with.  Nudity’s never really bothered Dick, not like this anyway.  He can woo and charm with the best of them, and being naked is just like being clothed, except for the extra layer of warmth.</p><p>He’s not sure where this train of thought’s going, because Tiger’s still way too close to him and the heat of his hand moving down towards Dick’s groin is getting the better of him.  He wonders how much Tiger is paying attention.  Maybe he should try untying himself.</p><p>Tiger moves away and Dick breathes again.  Tiger stands and Dick can see how hard he is just from the way his pants are hanging.  Dick’s mouth starts to water.  Tiger must see the lust in Dick’s face, because his hand settles on the back of Dick’s head, fingers bunching in his hair.</p><p>“Is there something you want?”</p><p>Dick looks up at him and licks his lips.  He’s not going to say it, but thankfully Tiger doesn’t make him.  The hand in his hair leaves to tighten the sheets around Dick’s wrists.  When he’s finished, Tiger pulls out his cock, and Dick just manages to stop himself from outright drooling.</p><p>He wants that inside him and, at the moment, he really doesn’t care where.</p><p>Dick’s erection is noticeable through the thin sheets and Tiger spares it the briefest glance before feeding Dick his cock.</p><p>Dick moans the moment he gets his lips around it, tonguing the underside of the head.  Tiger inhales sharply and thrusts just once before he gets control of himself again.  Dick wiggles in his bonds, trying to take Tiger’s cock deeper.  He wants Tiger to take him roughly, to choke him, to make him beg for it.</p><p>It’s really not a strong masochistic streak, honest!  It’s just, well, he’s got a <em>thing</em> about broody older men who can bench press him ordering him around.</p><p>He tries not to think about it too much.</p><p>He’s thinking too much anyway, because it comes as a surprise when Tiger does choke him with his cock.</p><p>“Focus,” Tiger says.</p><p>Dick tries to glare up at him, but he knows it’s a losing battle.  It’s hard to look angry when you’re sucking cock.  All Dick can do is gurgle as Tiger guides his cock into his throat.  His own cock is leaking onto the sheets binding him, achingly hard, but Tiger’s not paying any attention to it.</p><p>When he manages to get as far into Dick’s throat as he can go, Tiger pulls out slowly, his cock glistening with saliva.  Dick stares at it hungrily for a moment, then looks up at Tiger.</p><p>“Please,” he says, his voice already getting husky with want.</p><p>Tiger thrusts into Dick’s mouth and begins fucking his throat in earnest.</p><p>Dick shudders.  His whole body feels cold and hot at the same time.  Has it really been that long since he’s been with somebody?  The last person he had sex with was Agent 8 and that…</p><p>Well, everything about that had ended poorly.</p><p>He hasn’t been on the business end of a cock in a long while, though.  And while he’s not going to interrogate <em>why</em> he has a Thing for morally ambiguous guys who could probably kill him, he is going to enjoy it.</p><p>Tiger changes his rhythm and Dick gags.  Damn, he really needs to keep his thoughts together.</p><p>Or stop thinking altogether.</p><p>Dick swallows and closes his eyes, concentrating on the heaviness on his tongue.  Tiger groans, the vibrations shooting all the way through his cock, and Dick shivers again.  He’s so hard, he feels like he’s going to burst.</p><p>Tiger pulls out once more, panting for the first time, as though it’s a Herculean effort for him to stop letting Dick suck him.  His hand is fisted in Dick’s hair, the only thing keeping Dick from moving forward to take his cock back into his mouth.  Dick’s hard, Tiger’s hard, and, as far as Dick is concerned, there is no reason they should be stopping.</p><p>Unless Tiger has some better idea.</p><p>Dick used to have ideas, but right now, all he can think about is getting, ahem, dicked down within an inch of his life.</p><p>Tiger lets go of him, and Dick rolls forward after him.  Tiger catches his shoulder before Dick actually falls off the bed and pushes him onto his back.  He climbs onto the bed, lifting Dick’s bound legs up onto his shoulder, moving aside the sheets that block his access.  From a pocket of his pants, Tiger pulls out a small bottle of lube.</p><p>Dick moans as Tiger stretches him, willing himself to relax more.  That Tiger’s done this before is obvious from his technique, and Dick gets a flash of jealousy for whoever had that pleasure before him.  It goes away just as quickly as it came, because Tiger pulls him back to the present.</p><p>Dick’s ready and prepared and about to <em>die</em> if Tiger doesn’t just fuck him already!</p><p>As thick as Tiger had felt in his mouth, Dick still isn’t ready for how big he feels inside his ass.  He moans loud, arching his back as Tiger eases into him.  Tiger looks as desperate as Dick feels, but he’s definitely hiding it better.  Dick can tell, though, in the tension around his eyes, the tight set of his jaw, and the way his hands are holding Dick’s hips like vices.</p><p>It takes a few painfully slow minutes before Tiger is balls deep in Dick, and by then, Dick’s a mess.</p><p>He’s repeated the word “please” so many times, it doesn’t sound real anymore, but the need is real, and that’s all that matters when Tiger finally picks up his pace.  Dick’s hands are gripping the knots of the sheets that hold him, his legs up on Tiger’s shoulder, so there’s nothing he can really do except lie there and take it all.</p><p>&lt;Be rough with me,&gt; Dick says in breathless Pashto.</p><p>Tiger’s eyes go wide for a moment, then harden.  He hikes up Dick’s hips and begins pounding him mercilessly.</p><p>Dick drops his head back, crying out in pleasure.  He can’t do anything himself, but he doesn’t need to.  He’s so keyed up that when Tiger’s cock taps his prostate, Dick comes untouched.  It’s such a relief, Dick swears he actually sees stars.</p><p>Dick’s nearly boneless when Tiger finally comes inside him, but he’s not worn out yet.  He’s managed to get his hands untied, and now he bends himself up to pull Tiger into a kiss.  Tiger drops Dick’s legs to let him have some more room, then follows Dick down onto the bed.</p><p>“You need to learn how to resist,” Tiger says, the first thing he says once Dick has stopped kissing him, as a matter of fact.</p><p>“Why should I?” Dick asks.  “I always get what I want in the end.”</p><p>Tiger’s expression turns dark and Dick kisses him again.</p><p>“I don’t play mind games, remember?  I leave that up to the professional spies.  The ones whose pencils work.”</p><p>“Yours seems to be in perfect order,” Tiger says.</p><p>It’s Dick’s turn to be shocked.  “I think I’m rubbing off on you.”</p><p>&lt;Don’t think I won’t still kill you,&gt; Tiger says.  Dick laughs.</p><p>&lt;And lose access to this ass?  Please!&gt;</p><p>“One day.”</p><p>Dick grins and kisses him again.</p><p>“I look forward to it.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Bonus 2.0</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Dick Grayson, you are an idiot.”</p><p>“God, I was missing that,” Dick says.  “Here I was worried I’d gone up in your estimation.”</p><p>He and Tiger are bound back to back, arms linked, their hands behind their backs.  Surrounding them is a wall of guns set to go off at any large movement.</p><p>It’s been months since they last worked together, and in the meantime, Dick has gone back to being Nightwing and Tiger has become the new head of Spyral.  Dick had called in a special favor and, despite his usual threats -- and a few warnings that he was really too busy to be doing Dick’s errands for him -- Tiger had shown up to help.</p><p>And then Dick had gotten them trapped.</p><p>But, hey, it could always be worse!  They could be trapped at the bottom of a deep pit with no way out but up!</p><p>Oh.  Right.</p><p>Dick looks up at the blackness above them, the hum of electrical equipment powering the guns the only audible sounds.  It’s about twenty feet up.  Even if they could make it up there somehow climbing the guns, it’ll take a miracle for them not to be shot to ribbons.</p><p>The only way to get out of this is if they could somehow lay flat on the floor.  The guns might shoot themselves out.</p><p>Yeah, and then maybe Tiger would stop calling him an idiot.</p><p>“I am not dying here,” Tiger says, breaking Dick out of his thoughts.</p><p>“That’s good,” Dick says.  “Wake me when you’ve come up with a plan.”  He adds, “One that doesn’t involve me being a human shield.”</p><p>“Pity.  It was a good plan.”</p><p>“Ha.  Ha.”</p><p>Dick shifts his head so he can rest it on Tiger’s shoulder.  “You know, if we get out of this, you should come back to my place.”</p><p>“Your so-called ‘bachelor pad’ of an apartment?  I’m thrilled.”</p><p>“You’ve been in worse,” Dick says.  “Remember that safe house in Málaga?”</p><p>“That’s not a good comparison.  People don’t live in safe houses.”</p><p>“Rude!”  Dick sighs.  “Anyway, I’d invite myself to your place, but I’ve had enough of nanobots tracking me, thanks.”</p><p>He perks up.  “Hey, any chance your people could--?”</p><p>“No,” Tiger says.  “I’m off grid.”</p><p>“Great.  The one time it could’ve helped.”</p><p>“And your family?”</p><p>“Who knows,” Dick says.  “I didn’t exactly let anyone know I was doing this mission.”</p><p>“Unfortunate.  The one time they could have helped.”</p><p>“OK, now you’re just being mean.”</p><p>“Don’t move so much,” Tiger snaps.  “I am not dying here tonight.”</p><p>Dick goes still, then frowns.  “How do you know what my apartment’s like anyway?”</p><p>Tiger sighs.  “How do you think?”</p><p>“That’s one.  And I thought Oracle-cam was bad enough,” Dick grumbles, twisting his hands in the ropes.  He wiggles his fingers, sliding them against Tiger’s palms.</p><p>“What are you doing?” Tiger asks.</p><p>“Just trust me,” Dick says.</p><p>“You’re not going to seduce the guns.”</p><p>“I’m not seducing anything!”</p><p>“Hn.”</p><p>“Great, now you sound just like him,” Dick says, moving his fingers from Tiger’s palm to his wrist.</p><p>“Who?”</p><p>“Batman.”</p><p>“Have you often tried to seduce him?”</p><p>“That’s two,” Dick mutters, managing to get a finger between the ropes holding Tiger’s wrists behind him.  “Got it!”</p><p>“The only thing you have is me,” Tiger says.</p><p>“Hush, honey,” Dicks says, pulling at the ropes.  “OK, try not to move your arms, but see if you can slip your hands out.”</p><p>“And then what, exactly?”</p><p>“Then sparklers will shoot out of my ass.  Look, I’m getting there!” Dick says, exasperated.  “Just, one step at a time, please.”</p><p>Once he has Tiger’s hands free, he gets his own loose.</p><p>“OK, if we unlink one arm, we should be able to lie down flat.  I’m pretty sure the bullets will fly over us, and we should be sa--”</p><p>“No.”</p><p>“What do you mean, ‘no’?” Dick asks.</p><p>“It’s not going to work,” Tiger says.</p><p>“How many ridiculous death traps have you gotten out of?”</p><p>“It’s not going to work.”</p><p>“It’ll work!”</p><p>“Dick Grayson, if we die here, I will personally come back and kill you again!”</p><p>Dick squeezed one arm.  “On the count of three.”</p><p>“No.”</p><p>“One.”</p><p>“Dick.”</p><p>“Two.”</p><p>“Damn it!”</p><p>“Three!”</p><p>They slip their arms apart and fall flat against the floor.</p><p>The guns go off.</p><p>Dick turns his head to face Tiger, bullets whizzing by them.</p><p>“See?  I told you!”</p><p>“You are not merely an idiot, Dick Grayson,” Tiger says.  “You’re an idiot with a death wish.”</p><p>“Thank you!” Dick says, grinning.</p><p>Eventually, the guns run out of ammo -- surprisingly quickly, actually, but then, only a handful of bullets were ever really needed to kill them off -- and Dick and Tiger climb out of the pit.</p><p>The villains they’d been tracking are so shocked that they escaped that he and Tiger have no problem taking them down.  Once the bad guys are tied up and waiting for the police, Dick leads Tiger up to the rooftops of Gotham.</p><p>“It’s nice up here, right?” he asks, staring off at the lights below.</p><p>“You’re a liar, Dick Grayson,” Tiger says.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>Tiger puts his hands on Dick’s shoulders, standing so close behind him that Dick can feel his body heat.</p><p>“You told me you don’t play mind games,” Tiger says, almost whispering into Dick’s ear.  “You didn’t need me on this mission.  Do you really get so lonely?”</p><p>“I don’t do one night stands,” Dick says.  “You don’t call.  You don’t write.”</p><p>Tiger turns him around, and Dick wraps his arms around Tiger’s neck, kissing him passionately.</p><p>When they finally break apart, Dick’s panting, and Tiger’s looking at him with those beautiful eyes of his.</p><p>&lt;Come back with me,&gt; Tiger says.</p><p>&lt;I can’t,&gt; Dick says, a little tinge of pain in his voice.  &lt;I have to stay here.&gt;</p><p>&lt;Pity.&gt;  Tiger kisses him again, then rubs his cheek against Dick’s.  &lt;Perhaps in another world.&gt;</p><p>“What’s wrong with this one?” Dick asks, switching back to English.</p><p>“I thought you don’t do one night stands.”</p><p>“I don’t.  But I do do second night stands,” Dick says.  “And third.  And fourth.”</p><p>Tiger huffed a small laugh.  “It’s dangerous to love a spy.”</p><p>“Pretty dangerous to love a Bat, too, but we manage,” Dick says.  He tugs on Tiger’s shirt collar.  “Come on, Master Spy.  Try to get at my secrets.”</p><p>“That would be a challenge if you had any left.”</p><p>“Wow, OK.  Rude!”  Dick heads to the edge of the roof, his grapple gun in hand.  “Is that day today?  Because I’m ready.”</p><p>Tiger smiles, one corner of his mouth quirking up.  “Not yet, Dick Grayson.  But the next time you lead me into a pointless death trap, it will be.”</p><p>“Excellent,” Dick says.  “I look forward to it.”</p><p>He blows Tiger a kiss and falls backwards off the building.</p><p>Tiger shakes his head and follows him, chasing him all the way back to Dick’s apartment.</p><p>Dick is already half naked when Tiger arrives.  He doesn’t get a chance to appreciate this, however, before Dick pounces on him, wrapping himself around him.  Tiger carries him to the bedroom.  He goes to drop Dick, but Dick brings Tiger down with him, grinding on him like there’s no tomorrow.</p><p>Then again, in their world, there might not be.</p><p>This time, Dick gets Tiger naked with him, running his fingers through Tiger’s short hair.  Tiger’s callused hands are sliding up and down Dick’s scarred thighs as the two of them frot against each other.  Tiger’s body is a lot like Dick’s, familiar scarring running across their chests, their sides, and their backs.  There’s old bullet wounds, slice marks, and stab wounds.  Their fingers map out the history of their bodies, even while their kisses promise a nebulous future.</p><p>Tiger’s right.  In another world, maybe they could be together, not necessarily forever, but at least for a while longer.  But how much would they lose in the process?  Dick could never give up Gotham, and Tiger would probably never give up the spy world.</p><p>Right now, though, none of that matters.  Nothing matters except the feel of his skin against Tiger’s, and even that’s mattering less as Tiger goes down to damn near suck Dick’s brain out through his cock.</p><p>They fuck until morning, and when Dick tries to convince Tiger to stay the rest of the day, he actually does.  Dick’s not sure what this means for them, but he’s not going to jinx it by asking.  He’s just going to enjoy.</p><p>And when Tiger ties him up again and has his way with him, Dick enjoys it very much.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Bonus 3.14</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Bruce is off on his honeymoon adventure or whatever he’s calling it right now, so Dick is once again Batman.  This isn’t feeling so much like a problem this time, or like a unshifting weight, because, one:  Damian isn’t fighting him at every chance, and, two:  Bruce isn’t dead.  He’s just off having a good ol’ time while Dick’s back in Gotham, saving the city, being the big darn hero.</p><p>The things he’ll do for Bruce.</p><p>It’s not like the cowl doesn’t already block out his peripheral vision, or that he’s become so comfortable with people who could kill him sneaking up on him that it doesn’t bother him anymore, but it’s still Damian who notices Tiger in the shadows first.</p><p>Damian draws a couple of knives -- knives Dick’s pretty sure he’d confiscated already -- and stands behind Dick in a defensive position.</p><p>“Come out, villain!” Damian says, which sounds a little Shakespearean for the first meeting, but definitely fits Damian’s personality.</p><p>Dick turns around in time to see Tiger step out from the shadows, one hand on a small dagger in his belt.  If they’re about to have a knife-measuring contest, Dick doesn’t want to be here for it.  Better for him to step in before that happens.</p><p>“Patron,” Dick says, putting a hand on Damian’s shoulder.</p><p>“Batman,” Tiger says, never letting go of the hilt.</p><p>Damian doesn’t back down either.  “Disarm or face the consequences!”</p><p>“Stand down, Robin,” Dick says, in his best Bruce tone.</p><p>Damian growls, but obeys, hiding his blades again.  Tiger, too, removes his hand from his knife.</p><p>Good.  Dick can work with this.</p><p>“What can we help you with?” Dick asks.</p><p>“We must speak in private.”</p><p>“I can hear anything Batman does,” Damian insists.</p><p>“How private?” Dick asks.</p><p>“It has to do with your…Court,” Tiger says, sparing the slightest of glances at Damian.</p><p>Dick frowns.  “Robin, meet up with Black Bat.”</p><p>Damian looks up at him, betrayal all over his face.  “Batman!”</p><p>“Now, Robin.  Report in when you get there.”</p><p>Damian growls again and glares at Tiger, but does as Dick asks.  Once Dick is sure Damian’s far enough away, he closes the distance between the two of them.</p><p>“What about the Court of Owls?” Dick asks.</p><p>“We’ve sent in three of our best infiltrators.  They’ve all been found dead.”</p><p>“What can I do about that?”</p><p>“I’m going in myself.  I’d like the assistance.  You know Gotham.  You have a history with the Court.”</p><p>“Don’t remind me,” Dick mutters.  He looks off toward the east, where the sun will rise in a few hours, if he lives long enough to see it.  He sighs, then looks back to Tiger.  “I’m in.”</p><p>“Good.  We leave now.”</p><p>Dick opens his comm for a moment.  “Bat-team.  If I don’t report in by sunrise, don’t try and trace me.  Red Hood will take on the mantle until Bat-one returns.  And if I don’t return, tell him I’m sorry.”</p><p>“The hell?”</p><p>“Batman!”</p><p>“What do you mean I’m--?”</p><p>“Batman, out.”  Dick shuts off his comm and nods to Tiger.  “I’m ready.”</p><p>They’re halfway to the last known location of the Court when Tiger speaks again.</p><p>“Family only hinders you.”</p><p>Dick shakes his head.  “Says the man whose partner turned against him.”</p><p>“That’s why I don’t work with one anymore.”</p><p>“Well, I work best with a partner,” Dick says.  “Partner.”</p><p>They stop at an abandoned church, one of the oldest in Gotham.  It still has a secret entrance to the catacombs in the tunnels between Gotham, somehow spared from the earthquake.  They’re cautious as they enter, but after three minutes of walking, no one is near.</p><p>Once they are a mile from the church, Dick starts getting a premonition.  Something is wrong.</p><p>&lt;I feel we’re about to be ambushed,&gt; Dick whispers in Pashto.</p><p>&lt;Are you ready?&gt; Tiger asks, pulling out a gun.</p><p>&lt;No killing!&gt;</p><p>&lt;Just don’t look.&gt;</p><p>Dick turns toward him.  “Tiger.”</p><p>A knife collides with the back of the suit, only piercing the armor by an inch or so but with enough force to knock the air from his lungs.</p><p>The Talon behind him doesn’t stay there long.  It disappears into the darkness.  Tiger tracks its movement, ignoring his partner as Dick falls to his knees.  He’s still a second too slow.  Another Talon comes up behind him to slit Tiger’s throat.  This time Dick is ready.</p><p>He grabs the Talon’s leg and yanks him down.  The Talon’s knife only grazes Tiger’s neck, enough to raise a welt, but not enough to kill.  Tiger turns and shoots the Talon.  No blood emerges, but it lies still.</p><p>“Tiger.”</p><p>“Hush.”  Tiger’s listening for something.  He’s right to; they still have at least one Talon to fight, assuming there aren’t five more waiting in the darkness.</p><p>Dick stands.  &lt;Close your eyes.&gt;</p><p>“Batman.”</p><p>&lt;Close them!&gt;</p><p>Tiger obeys and Dick throws a flash bomb.</p><p>Shrieks fill the tunnel as the Talons flee the light.  Dick and Tiger open their eyes just in time to see them sprint down the corridor.  They’ve got the Talons on the run.  This is good.</p><p>“What did I say about not killing?” Dick asks as they follow.</p><p>“They’re already dead,” Tiger says.  “And I never agreed.”</p><p>“You sound just like Robin,” Dick says.  “No wonder you two don’t get along.”</p><p>Tiger doesn’t respond and Dick sighs.  At least Robin would click his tongue at him if he didn’t like something Dick said.</p><p>The tunnel divides and they pause.</p><p>“Which way?” Tiger asks.</p><p>“Right,” Dick says.</p><p>“Why?”</p><p>“It’s always the right way.”</p><p>Tiger sighs.  “You are an idiot.”</p><p>“There’s the Tiger I know and love,” Dick teases, easily keeping pace with him despite Batman’s heavier suit.</p><p>They reach a dark chamber, bigger than the corridors they had been running in.  It smells like rot and blood.  Instinctively, they move back to back.  Lights flood on and Dick and Tiger are temporarily dazzled.</p><p>“Dick Grayson,” comes a voice from above.  “The Court has sentenced you to die.”</p><p>Dick blinks the spots in his eyes away and scoffs.  “Heard that one before.”</p><p>When he can see again, he realizes the Talons are lined up around the walls of the catacomb.  Above them is a sea of owl masks, white and featureless.</p><p>“I’ll take this half, you take that half,” Dick says, readying himself.</p><p>“I’m sorry, friend,” Tiger says.  Dick doesn’t get a moment to process this before a knife slides into the hole in his armor and into a lung.</p><p>Dick falls to his knees once more, his head back, staring up at Tiger.  At least he has the decency to look at Dick while he’s dying.</p><p>Dick’s eyes roll back in his head and he collapses, blackness falling over him like a shroud.</p><hr/><p>Everything is cold.</p><p>His limbs.  His skin.  His blood.</p><p>He can’t tell if he’s breathing or not.  He can’t really tell if he’s alive or not, but he’s thinking, so he must be.</p><p>Liquid floods his lungs and he drowns.</p><p>Fabric surrounds him and he burns.</p><p>He’s dying.</p><p>He’s dead.</p><p>Talon opens his eyes.</p><p>He’s alive.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Bonus 4.5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>His target is in sight and alone.  Foolish, all these so-called heroes.  They trust their friends and their own skills to keep them alive.</p><p>It won’t help him now.</p><p>Talon races across the trees, silent as the wind.  He lands on the sill and slips in the window.</p><p>Target is asleep.  An easy kill.</p><p>“Tiger King of Kandahar,” Talon whispers, his blade high above his head.  “The Court has sentenced you to die.”</p><p>He plunges the blade into the body in the bed.</p><p>Contact.  And kill.</p><p>But something doesn’t feel right.  Removing his knife, Talon tears back the bedclothes.</p><p>No body.  Just a body form.</p><p>Talon whips around.  The window is shut.</p><p>He feels no anger.  He feels no disappointment.</p><p>He feels nothing but hate.</p><p>A gun cocks behind him.  He flings the knife in the direction of the sound.</p><p>Tiger evades it by an inch.</p><p>The split second it takes him to move, Talon is already on him, another blade drawn.  He has many more.  He can kill with his bare hands if need be.</p><p>The gun goes off, missing Talon’s side by mere centimeters.  It doesn’t matter, because Talon grabs the burning metal and throws it beneath the bed.  Now no one has it, and no one can reach it.</p><p>Target is disarmed.</p><p>Talon goes back in for the kill, but Tiger is quick.  He slips a leg between Talon’s and drives his heel into Talon’s shin, bringing him down to one knee.  Tiger grabs one of Talon’s knives.  Now they are both armed again.</p><p>Talon adjusts his hold on his knife, stabbing up into Tiger’s stomach.</p><p>Contact.</p><p>He twists the blade and pulls it out.  Tiger grunts and falls.</p><p>Mission almost complete.</p><p>Talon leans above him, poised for the kill.  The blade will slip between the ribs and pierce the heart.  It will be bloody, but it will be flawless.</p><p>Talon brings the blade down hard.</p><p>“Ghk!”</p><p>One of his own knives is shoved below his voice box and through his throat.</p><p>He has failed.</p><p>Talon yanks the knife out of his throat, dropping it beside Tiger.  He collapses on top of his target, life fading from him.</p><p>“Dick,” Tiger whispers, holding him.</p><p>Yes.  That does twig something in his brain.</p><p>Perhaps that was his name, before….</p><p>Yes.</p><p>He is not Talon.</p><p>He is Dick Grayson.</p><p>And he’s dead.</p><hr/><p>Dick wakes up in the medical ward of the Batcave.  He has no recollection of how he got there, but that’s not necessarily a surprise.  He’s often woken up here without clear memories of the night before.</p><p>His hand is cold, but he only realizes this when a warmer hand takes it.  Dick turns his head towards its owner.  Tiger lies on the bed beside him.  They’re both hooked up to IVs, both wrapped in bandages and dressing -- and, Dick is sure, they’re both just as pale as the other -- but alive.</p><p>“What happened?” Dick says.  Well, he tries to say.  It comes out as more of a whisper.  Not bad, considering he feels like he’s been stabbed in the throat.</p><p>“I killed you,” Tiger says.  “You came back to kill me, and I killed you again.”</p><p>Dick’s mouth thins.  “You know, that’s not really a great way to build a relationship.”</p><p>“I play the long game.”</p><p>“Somehow that doesn’t really make it better,” Dick says.  “Did I at least get in a good shot?”</p><p>“I died on the way here.”</p><p>“Ah.  We’re even.”</p><p>“I killed you twice.”</p><p>“Yeah, but you said you would.  That’s one.  I got you back, then you got me.  That’s basically even, since I don’t kill.”  Dick frowns.  “Why did I kill you?”</p><p>“You were a Talon.”</p><p>Dick looks back at the ceiling, the memories vague, but beginning to come back.  “Oh, that’s right.  You betrayed me.”</p><p>“They won’t look for you now,” Tiger says.  “You’ve proven to be a useless Talon.”</p><p>Dick side-eyes Tiger.  “Wow, that’s one way to put it, I guess.”</p><p>Tiger opens his mouth to respond, then closes it again.  Dick knows why.  He can always sense when Bruce is near.</p><p>“Hey,” Dick croaks, turning toward him.</p><p>Bruce has his cowl down.  That’s surprising, seeing as Tiger’s here.  Maybe it’s because Tiger already knows all about them.</p><p>Or maybe because Bruce knows about Dick and Tiger.</p><p>Is that embarrassing?  Dick can’t decide yet.</p><p>Bruce’s eyes settle on their joined hands and his frown intensifies just a smidgen.  Tiger moves to pull away, but Dick squeezes him.</p><p>Bruce looks to Dick’s IV and adjusts Dick’s pain medication before sitting beside him.</p><p>“How do you feel?”</p><p>“Alive.”</p><p>Bruce’s eyes flick over to Tiger for a second, but it’s long enough for Dick to notice.</p><p>“I feel fine.  My throat hurts.”</p><p>“I’ve upped the dosage on your morphine.  You should sleep now.”</p><p>“OK.”  Dick squeezes Bruce’s hand, and adds in Romanes, &lt;Don’t be cross with him.&gt;</p><p>&lt;Do you love him?&gt;</p><p>Dick’s eyes widen.  He hadn’t really thought about it like that.</p><p>&lt;Yes,&gt; he says, without hesitation.</p><p>Bruce nods and looks back at Tiger.  They stare each other down for a moment before Bruce nods again.</p><p>&lt;I’ll take care of him.  Sleep now.&gt;</p><p>Dick smiles and settles back down.  He’s not quite asleep as Bruce speaks to Tiger in a low voice, tending to his wounds.</p><p>Just before he drifts off, he hears Bruce say, “Take care of him.”</p><p>“I will,” Tiger replies.</p><p>Dick’s tension leaves him and he falls into the best sleep he’s had in a long time.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Windows 5.0</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“I still don’t trust him, Grayson,” Damian says, eyeing Tiger from across the room.</p><p>“Well, I do,” Dick says.  “Anyway, you don’t have to trust him, just accept him.”</p><p>“He’s killed you twice, Grayson,” Damian counters.  “Explain why I shouldn’t take my revenge.”</p><p>Dick laughs.  “Because you don’t kill anymore.  Besides, it’s only for a couple of nights.  You can stand him being in the house for that long, right?”</p><p>Damian crosses his arm and grumbles.  “As long as he doesn’t hurt you again.”  Dick kisses Damian’s cheek and Damian squawks.  “Grayson!”</p><p>“You know I can take care of myself, right?”</p><p>“I know,” Damian says.  “But you love so easily.  You get hurt too often.”</p><p>“That’s the risk about love, Damian,” Dick says.  “Besides, I may forgive, but I never forget.”</p><p>Damian shot him a doubting look.</p><p>“Tell you what?  If Tiger ever plans to kill me again, you have my full permission to go after him.  But no killing!  Maiming only.”</p><p>Damian ponders this.  “Very well, Grayson.  If I must, I will accept that.”</p><p>Dick ruffles Damian’s hair.  “Good.  Now go help your dad with the food.”</p><p>Dick watches Damian go for a moment before he wanders over to where Tiger and Jason are discussing something.</p><p>“Say, can I steal Tiger away for a minute?” he asks, putting a hand on Tiger’s shoulder.</p><p>Jason rolls his eyes.  “Sure, whatever.  Just don’t get caught.”</p><p>“Well, don’t follow, then,” Dick says, steering Tiger away and out of the room.</p><p>“If Damian poisons me, you are to blame,” Tiger says, once they’re out of earshot.</p><p>Dick laughs.  “I’ve told him no killing.  I expect that from you, too.”</p><p>“Dick.”</p><p>“I know.  We can fight about it later,” Dick says, leading Tiger into an empty room.  Once the door is shut, Dick wraps his arms around Tiger’s neck.  “Kiss me.”</p><p>“You’re loud,” Tiger says, between kisses.  “Your family’s going to hear us.”</p><p>“Not if you keep my mouth busy,” Dick says, licking Tiger’s lips.  Tiger growls low in Dick’s ear, and it shoots straight to Dick’s cock.</p><p>“I thought this was a dinner to celebrate everyone being alive.”</p><p>“It is,” Dick says.  “Just think of this as getting dessert first.”  He kisses Tiger once more, then drops to his knees.</p><p>Tiger’s already hard and Dick wastes no time with long foreplay.  He bobs his head twice, just to get used to him, before taking Tiger’s cock deep into his throat.  He grabs Tiger’s balls with one hand, massaging them as he blows him.  With his other hand, he reaches up to the new scar on Tiger’s belly, the one he’d caused.</p><p>Tiger lays a hand on Dick’s hair, not really guiding him this time, just holding him.  Dick hums quietly, swallowing around his cock, moving to the rhythm of Tiger’s heartbeat.  Tiger only clutches Dick’s hair when he’s about to come.  Dick pulls back, suckling the head of Tiger’s cock until he does, swallowing him greedily.</p><p>Tiger pulls Dick back up to standing and picks him up.  Dick wraps his legs around Tiger’s waist and grinds on him until Tiger sits him down on the desk at the back of the room.  Dick rucks up his shirt and Tiger strokes him until he comes all over his chest.  Tiger bends down and kisses along Dick’s scars, lapping up Dick’s cum as he does.</p><p>Dick pulls him up into a long kiss just as the dinner gong goes off.  Tiger still looks put together, while Dick absolutely looks like he just had sex, so Tiger covers for him while Dick goes and cleans himself up.</p><p>Dick reaches the table just as the food is being served, sliding in beside Bruce and opposite Tiger.  Bruce and Damian give Dick each a suspicious glance, but Dick’s certain there’s nothing out of place about his appearance now, so he just smiles pleasantly at both of them.  Bruce leads a toast to each one of them, the whole family and their lovers together.  It might be the last time this will ever happen, but they’re going to make it count.</p><p>And when Tiger joins them on their nightly patrol through Gotham, he makes it a point to not kill anyone.</p><p>Dick counts that as a win.</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>